Needle in a Haystack
"Needle in a Haystack" 'is the first episode of [[Arc 1: A Game For Power|''Arc 1: A Game For Power]]'' '' and the first of the overall series. It debuted on August 14, 2015, synchronous with the recreation of the fourth Lounge. Overview ''Ratchet, Clank and Captain Qwark are savely relocated to Igliak by Cronk and Zephyr after their adventure on planet Magnus. Dr. Nefarious and Lawrence, however, remain at large. The people have voted Qwark out of office and a provisional government is established, with Barbara Jarvis as a leader in affairs of state. Dr. Nefarious remains in hiding on planet Rykan V. '' Synopsis It is the year 4 ANC - four years after the Nefarious Crisis. In the aftermath of the destruction brought to Luminopolis by a Light Eating Z'Grute, Captain Qwark was removed from office. In the absense of a presidential leader, a provisional government has been established. Leading the Senate is Minister of Defense Barbara Jarvis. Ratchet and Clank retire once again from the hero work, and Captain Qwark delves more deeply into his acting carreer. Talwyn Apogee has assumed her position as the new Director of the Polaris Defense Force. While she wishes to search and apprehend Dr. Nefarious, Jarvis desires to put her priorities to rebuilding the Senate, rather than searching for a needle in a haystack. Talwyn, rightly or wrongly, must obey the wish of the Defense Minister. The search for Nefarious is once again pushed from the tables. Dr. Nefarious and Lawrence arrive on the volcanic world of Rykan V, seeking refuge underneath an abandoned Lava Refinery. With the decomissioned refinery as his primary base of operations, the doctor once again attempts to come up with a plan to conquer the Galaxy. While the Polaris Defense Force fails to apprehend the doctor, minister Jarvis goes to find the biggest current threat to the galaxy: Captain Romulus Slag. The Space Pirates grew in power and managed to attack and loot several weak worlds in the Outer Ring of the Polaris Galaxy. The Defense Force, unable to cope, turns to Jarvis for a possible last sollution. Jarvis hires a hitman - the Reactor - in an off-the-record hunting party. Slag was eventually captured by the Reactor, and brought to a containment cell in Zordoom Prison. But what are the true intensions of Jarvis for capturing Slag? On his way to a press conference on planet Igliak, Captain Copernicus L. Qwark makes an emergency landing on the surface of planet Rykan V. Realising he forgot to refuel his ship with Gelatonium, he begins investigating an abandoned Lava Refinery, in hopes of finding Gelatonium or another ship to leave again. Here, however, he spots familiar robotic troopers he recognizes as Dr. Nefarious' henchmen. What is going on here? Why are these soldiers in an abandoned factory on Rykan V? Without further a-do, Qwark continues to investigate. He finally meets face to face with his former nemesis, who attempts to shot him down from the sky. In a last-ditch attempt, Lawrence activates the auto-destruct sequence for their space armada. Unfortunately for them, Qwark already deactivated the sequence and he ends up blowing the rest of their armada up. In response to Qwark's escape, Dr. Nefarious contacts the hitman known as the Reactor and hires him to stop Qwark from revealing his presence on planet Rykan V. Reactor is sceptical at first, but Nefarious reveals his reward. A brand new nuclear core, capable of running his whole system. Since Reactor's own core is running dry, he agrees to do the job for Dr. Nefarious and goes on a manhunt for Captain Qwark. Reactor catches up to Qwark as they have a cat and mouse chase in outer space. A lucky strike from Reactor breaks Qwark's defense windows. Losing oxygen inside the control room of the ship, Qwark is starting to lose grip on his consciousness. Just before Reactor would be able to capture and finish Qwark, a Polaris Defense Force patrolling unit passes by. Reactor, afraid of being apprehended, flees and Qwark was saved by the soldiers. However, the lack of oxygen within his ship causes him to lose part of his short term memory. Qwark fails to remember where he is, how long he has been here and how he ended up here. That leaves Reactor's involvement in the incident a mistery. Barbara Jarvis is escorted to planet Fastoon by the Bravo Squadron. Here, she was to meet her old friend, colleague and rival Artemis Zogg, whom had contacted her earlier. In the Court of Azimuth, she meets him at last, and they have their long awaited reunion. Credits '''Written by: * J.B. * Nick Torn Directed by: * Kim van Manie Starring: * Alebarasi * Specimen Six Cast Primary roles * Barbara Jarvis * Dr. Nefarious * Romulus Slag * Captain Qwark Secondary roles * Lawrence Production Goofs ? Trivia * The entirety of this chapter takes place in the past. * The idea of Ratchet remaining in solitution, was actually a way to cover the fact that admin Kim was busy with college that time. Category:Episodes Category:Arc 1 Episodes Category:A.Z. Files